Tablet market beginning to equalize, with little help from Windows 7

Last year at this time, Apple had a 94.3 percent share of the worldwide tablet market, an analysis firm says. But, by the end of last month, that chunk had fallen to 61.3 percent of tablets shipped.

Tablets running Google’s Android mobile operating system are taking a bite out of the iPad, according to Strategy Analytics data (see chart below). In the second quarter of 2011, 30.1 percent of tablet PCs shipped were running 30.1 percent, the firm says.

Microsoft’s Windows 7, meanwhile, shipped on about 4.6 percent of tablets, notably on Fujitsu’s Stylistic slate line. But that was up from the Redmond-based company’s market share of zero a year ago. Research in Motion’s QNX platform trailed with 3.3 percent.

“Multiple Android models distributed across multiple countries by multiple brands such as Samsung, Acer, Asus, Motorola and others are driving volumes,” Neil Mawston, director at Strategy Analytics, said in a news release. “However, no Android vendor yet offers a blockbuster model to rival the iPad, and demand for many Android vendors’ products remains patchy.

“If Amazon decides to enter the Android tablet category later this year, that will bring fresh excitement and buzz to the Android community, but Amazon will need to deliver a truly standout offering if it really wants to make headway against the popular iPad.”